Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai
by Hiromitsu
Summary: A story that goes beneath the game, exposing the tender side of Yukimura and his personal ninja Kunoichi. Story is finsihed
1. The Crimson Samurai

Samurai Warriors  
Crimson Samurai  
  
"Determination breeds victory..." Yukimura repeated this to himself over and over again, he wondered if his heart was truly in this. Atop the roof of Ueda castle he sat, thinking and contemplating the battle that would proceed, Hanzo had already wounded him severely, a bandage wrapped around his waist, drenched in the horrid liquor of blood. "If I go into battle tomorrow, surely I am finished, there is but one option now, I must find a place worth of a Sanada Warrior to die." His sickle spear beside him, he was able to kill Hanzo's guards but with minimal success. Knowing that a mere five of hundreds of Iga ninjas wouldn't even scratch the surface of Hanzo's defense, Yukimura knew his death was imminent, he just prayed that he could die the way a true samurai would.  
Spying on Yukimura, Kunoichi stood looking onward, a tear fell down her cheek, "I couldn't protect him, Lord Yukimura, please forgive me!" Kunoichi was not in her usual flamboyant nature due to the fact she arrived all too late to stop Yukimura from confronting Hanzo. In his condition, Kunoichi knew that if he tried to fight in battle, surely he would lose his life, she remembered how she saw him earlier, and he was barely able to lift his spear above his head. Kunoichi decided to try and comfort him, she walked up behind him, kneeling down she wrapped her arms around him. She pressed her cold cheek to his, his body was warm, his cheek warmed hers, nuzzling him she said, "Lord Yukimura, I..." She was cut off by Yukimura who silenced her with a kiss.  
  
She lay with him, his arm pulling her close to him, her arm grasping onto him, neither of them wanting to move. Silence filled the room, only the faint breathing could be heard. Kunoichi stared at him; his warm body holding hers, his slumber brought her peace of mind, "As long as he sleeps, I can hold him..." She said softly, embracing his body, she leaned her head to his chest; her dark brunette hair was matted down. Before she knew it, the sun had crept up on her; it peered through the windows, investigating the souls that it shined upon. Kunoichi felt Yukimura moving, she knew he was waking up, she held him even closer, wrapping an arm around his neck and the other around his waist, she cradled him in her arms tenderly. His eyes slowly opened and he looked at her calmly, he saw fear and anxiety in her, her body fidgeted, her arms shook, and she could not look him in the eyes. He touched her face, she grasped his hand and held it there, the feel of his skin, his touch, the taste of his kiss; she would miss them bitterly if he died in battle. "Lord Yukimura, please...please don't leave me..." She whispered solemnly.  
Yukimura didn't move for many hours, they embraced each other tightly for fear of the other getting up and leaving. "Do you remember how we first met?" Yukimura asked, holding her hand, laying it upon her thigh. Kunoichi took a deep breath, she remembered it vividly, "Lord Yukimura, have you forgotten it, or do you merely wish to her it from my perspective?" She asked, a grim face overshadowing hers at the remembrance. "I remember it; I merely wish to hear it from your side." He replied, kissing her neck, attempting to get her to smile.  
"I recall it was spring, it had been a rainy gloomy day, for both of us. I raced to this very castle, my master told me to come here because the lord's wife had passed away, he wanted information about it, as he was not the type to go without knowing about any detail of information he thought was vital. I was about eleven at the time, you were fifteen, and I had infiltrated this castle, only to see you, crying at your mother's side, your father wasn't there. I watched you, I don't know for how long, but someone had caught me, I fell through the door and landed at your side. The guard would've killed me, were it not for your kindness, you told him to leave, that I was an acquaintance and I had come to mourn your loss as well." Kunoichi had to stop to both wipe a tear from her eyes and from Yukimura's as well. Kunoichi had kissed him on the forehead, letting him rest his head upon her chest before continuing, "You had finished mourning and you invited me with you to have a cup of hot tea, soup, and rice, I remember it intensely, as it had been the first act of kindness I witnessed, we talked and played, but soon, too soon, we both had to go. You had training and I had to report back to my master with the news that you supplied me, we met everyday after that, until your father found us; he disliked me severely, he said you couldn't be seen with me because it would interfere with your training and that I was too low born for you..." She stopped.  
Yukimura looked up; he saw that still she was crying, he leaned upward to kiss her and wiped her tears away with his thumb, he proceeded to push the locks of hair out of her face before he pulled her unto him, letting her body rest against his, kissing her passionately. "Do you remember what happened next?" He asked, ready to tell the rest of it, "When Shingen Takeda informed my father that he needed troops, and that I was ready for service, Shingen, himself met with me, I informed him about you, and your skills as a ninja. After proving your worth I begged him to put you under my command, where you did your best...I admit, we had grown apart, but I still felt a burning affection for you deep within me. I needed only to see you and I would become enlightened, even when things were hopeless...your face, your attitude brought me up and into victory..." Yukimura squirmed, Kunoichi remembered his injury, getting off of him, she attempted to hold him again, but he would not allow, he held her tightly, yet lovingly. The day passed by, and night came, they both agreed that they would have to get up, if they didn't they might find that they could never get out of bed. As their first meal they ate their dinner, the troops and the other generals were shocked to see Yukimura up, he was moving as if he hadn't received the injury, afterwards Hideyori and Katsunaga both requested to see Yukimura, who was accompanied by Kunoichi. He was informed that word was Tokugawa army was planning a full scale assault, against both Toyotomi and Sanada clans. To Kunoichi's dismay, Yukimura accepted to fight against the Tokugawa army...  
  
End of Chapter 1  
  
I know this is short, but there will be more chapters to come, and no, they will not all focus on Kunoichi and Yukimura; sometimes it will focus on one and then the other before focusing on both of them again. Please read and review, I would like to know how I'm doing as I have been a bit out of practice with writing. Yes, yes, this may end sadly, I haven't decided yet, as my writing style depends on the spur of the moment, please if you read a chapter that sounds totally out of whack with the rest of the story, please forget what you read as it is just an idea which probably went horrible. But remember, "The battlefield knows no remorse!" 


	2. The Pink Ninja

Samurai Warriors: Chapter 2  
Pink Ninja  
  
"...Lord Yukimura..." Kunoichi gasped, quickly leaving the room, as well as Katsunaga, Hideyori, and Yukimura baffled. She left up to Yukimura's chambers where she fell to the floor, "Lord Yukimura...why?! Don't you understand that you simply can't go?! You'll be killed!" She hugged her hat tightly; she had no idea of what to do, if she partook in the battle she may lose both Yukimura and her life, but if she didn't surely she would lose Yukimura. If she killed Tokugawa before the battle there would be an end and Yukimura would be safe. Her abilities of Kai Ninjitsu was the only thing that she could rely on to succeed, no other way was possible, if she took Yukimura, he would be killed; her bodyguards would most-likely get her caught, so she knew she had to go in alone. How would she tell Yukimura, she wondered, "I know...I just can't tell him, otherwise he'd follow me and get himself even more injured...So I'd need to be quick...but where is Ieyasu now?" She pondered this for minutes, then Yukimura came in, his face blank, the light in his eye was gone. He stared at her for a mere minute before he kneeled on the ground and held her. "Lord...Yukimura, are you really going to fight against Tokugawa with the Toyotomi clan? Hideyoshi worked for Nobunaga before Mitsuhide betrayed him...!" Kunoichi began sobbing, her tears falling onto Yukimura's shoulder. "I must fight, if I don't, Tokugawa will have an easier job of unifying the land under his tyranny." Yukimura pulled his body away from hers, still keeping his arms around her, "When this is over I want..." Kunoichi silenced him this time, she gave him one final passionate kiss before she got up and left him, he was unable to stand and go after her, his wound began to cause him pain, grabbing his side, he stayed there.  
  
Placing his multi-colored hat back upon her hair, her daggers were displayed carelessly in her hands; she left the first keep upon the Matsukaze. She had overheard Tokugawa was at Gifu Castle, she was headed to Gifu without hesitation, she day-dreamed of returning to Yukimura, with the head of Tokugawa. "Don't worry Lord Yukimura; I'll come back to you!" She hurried the horse as fast as she could, the moonlight pierced through the trees and leaves, guiding her to her destination, sleep vanished from her mind as she had been at rest for a whole day. Hours later the horse had begun to slow down, it began to stumble upon the rocks and into the cold sticky mud that was concealed beneath fallen leaves. Kunoichi dismounted in Nagashino to allow the horse time to rest, and to grab a bite to eat. She was walking into a restaurant when a tall man bumped into her. "Excuse me, miss." He said before he loosely grabbed her face and put his cheek to hers, "Please don't be mad, it ruins your beautiful..." He was interrupted by another woman. "You used that same line on me, you bastard!" She said before throwing a bottle of sake at his head, forcing him to leave. Kunoichi watched as the angry woman sat down with who she presumed was her husband. "O-kay, freaky..." Kunoichi said under her breath, a waitress came and sat her down, where she ordered a bottle of sake and three rice-balls, she felt something touching her leg, she looked down, and a fuzzy brown thing in a grey trench coat was rubbing against her leg. "You creep!" She shouted as she kicked him back and drew her daggers. "Wait!" The rugged man exclaimed, "Hey, hey, I'm not bad, I just want to know what it will take to get someone like you, with someone like me!" He said, holding her mouth shut, looking around, only to find that everyone was looking at him. "Umm...she's my sister!" He said before he was quickly run out of the restaurant by the owner who chased him with a sword. Everyone's gaze turned to Kunoichi, who had taken advantage of the situation and slipped away with everyone's food. "Hee hee, stupid people, they should know better then to turn their gaze from a ninja." Kunoichi gloated, hauling away her gain in a sack. She was almost to Matsukaze when again, she heard the obnoxious voice, "Hey, you're going to leave without telling me your name?" He said, his rifle leaned against his shoulder, a round of ammo held around his trench coat gave him the look of a mad-man, but his face gave him the look of a more rugged, older, and less serious Yukimura. "You're a pest, you know?" Kunoichi replied mounting the horse and tying the sack of her gains to the saddle. Scrunching up his face, he managed to squeeze out, "Are you one of those traveling girls?" He questioned with an almost adorable innocence, keyword: almost. "You're a freak!" She shouted spurring the horse to action, leaving the perverse man in the dust. "She knows she likes me." He said, watching her go on her way.  
  
"Where could she be, why'd she leave?!" Yukimura nearly shouted, he had been all through Ueda Castle without seeing her once. His body ached, his body was heating up, suddenly he fainted; his fever had taken hold, hurried by the stress. People had gathered around him and quickly he was rushed to his room where his servants had taken immediate action to help him.  
  
Kunoichi had made it half way to Gifu when the sun had set yet again and the moon appeared, unfortunately it was not the moon that she had grown so comforted with when she was with Yukimura at Ueda, it was a halting moon, it sought to oppose her intentions of saving Yukimura by slaying Tokugawa. Shadows crept past the moon's ever exposing light, moving in upon Kunoichi with the speed and disguise of Darkness. Kunoichi noticed these attackers quickly, "The Iga Clan's ninjas!" She said aloud. She pressed on, moving as far as she could on the horse before; suddenly a ninja had leapt onto the horse and struck it down with its ninjatou. Kunoichi was forced to leap off of the horse; she had been unable to secure the sack with the food she had swiped. She was forced into a fight with these ninjas, quickly drawing her daggers she struck as many of them down as she could before heading onward, running as fast as she could, even leaping through the air and into the trees. She leapt from branch to branch, she knew she would be fatigued quickly from this precise movement, but she knew her stamina was better then that of the Iga Ninja clan, at least she thought so. She had finally reached Gifu castle, but she was too tired to go in now and deal with all of the traps and enemies who had nothing better to do besides hinder her mission. She fell on the trunk of a tree gasping for air. "Well hello there, seems we meet again!" The unusually comforting, yet annoying voice said, Kunoichi looked up, "The name's Magoichi Saika!" He said, placing his hand out to her. He noticed that she had many cuts and bruises that she didn't have before. "So lemme guess, you're not part of the Iga Ninja Clan are you?" Magoichi said, resting his rifle beside him as he sat down beside Kunoichi. "I'm a Ninja of Kai Ninjitsu..." She replied, "Why are you here?" She asked, resting her daggers at either of her sides. Magoichi looked at her, "So you're here to assassinate Tokugawa as well?" He asked, noticing how beautiful her eyes were. "What do you mean '...as well'?" She looked at him with fierceness in her voice.  
  
"I'm here to kill Tokugawa out of conviction, you?" Magoichi responded.  
  
"I'm here to take his head back to my master so he doesn't have to fight Tokugawa." She replied.  
  
"Is your master a samurai?" He asked, at seeing her nod he said, "I thought samurai were all about courage and honor."  
  
"I'm here, without my master's knowing, I don't want him to fight Tokugawa, and he's too injured to stand a chance." She answered.  
  
There they sat, Kunoichi rested up, and Magoichi took deep thought about this girl's reasons for wanting her master to live. "She must love him very much to care about his safety." He said to himself, "Then I'll help her take Tokugawa's head!" He unintentionally shouted, quickly noticing Kunoichi talk in her sleep. "Oh Yukimura..." She said as she flung her body to the right, her arm holding onto Magoichi, who understood the predicament and allowed it, "Maybe she has a few cute friends she can hook me up with!" He said deviously.  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Ok, I promise chapter 3 will be up ASAP, adios me amigos. 


	3. The Grey Musketeer and the Black Assassi...

**Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai Chapter 3  
The Grey Musketeer, the Black Assassin**  
  
"She'll totally swoon over me when she wakes up!" the bare-skinned Magoichi said, wearing only his cotton pants and the round of ammo strung around his body. He covered his rifle with his jacket and got into a provocative position while Kunoichi's arm was around him. Grinning to himself, he pretended to be asleep when Kunoichi drew her left arm close to her mouth when she yawned and stretched her limbs, signaling that she was starting to wake up. Magoichi did his best impression of snoring while Kunoichi got up, unaware of her surroundings.  
  
She screamed, "No, no, no, no, no! Your pervert!" She slapped him as hard as she could, before reaching for her daggers; Magoichi was unable to stop laughing hysterically.  
  
"Don't worry, I was only joking!" He tried to explain before being beaten by the furious Kunoichi. Kunoichi glared at him viciously, "You ever do that again, and I will sever you from your manhood!" She threatened. Magoichi took this seriously, but he couldn't keep from grinning, putting on his jacket and grabbing his rifle, he said, "Well, are we going to go take Tokugawa's head? Or am I going to have to go in alone just because you wanna throw a ninny fit over a mere joke?" He looked at her, charmingly, but to no avail.  
  
"I am going to take Tokugawa's head, there's no 'we' in this!" She replied with agitation, dark circles were under her eyes from the uncomfortable sleep. Magoichi looked at her with a pleading face, the type a puppy has, "Besides what would you gain out of it?!" She questioned him intently. Scratching his chin, he grinned and blushed, "Well, maybe you could hook me up with a ninja girl?" He asked. Kunoichi grabbed her daggers with a death-grip, walking toward the castle wall; hesitantly she motioned him over to where she had positioned herself as she climbed the wall to have a peek over.  
"Hmm, this couldn't be any easier." She said with joy, "It appears these guards all drank a little too much sake last night, so that means that we can sneak in through the front door, but that's where the easiness ends." She grabbed him and jumped over the wall, landing gracefully, pointing out the sleeping guards. Still pulling him along, she ran straight toward the first keep, where she bust through it with relative ease. Magoichi took his rifle in hand and began running forward, unaware of the traps that lay in wait for him. "Magoichi!" She whispered loudly, pulling him back she showed him the map of Gifu she had, "With this we can see where traps are, but it doesn't show us how to directly get to the fifth floor of this castle, she said as she leapt over where Magoichi was close to, signaling it being a trap. Magoichi tried to keep up, even when sprinting he was at least ten feet behind her.  
By the time that had made it to the end of the fourth floor, their weapons were covered with blood, Magoichi had almost fallen into a collapsing floor that had a clean cutting blade pass over it, nearly felt the pain of being impaled by spikes, and cut to pieces by ninjas. They had almost reached the stairs when Keiji Maeda appeared out of nowhere, "Hey buddy!" He said, waving his pike to Magoichi, who was fatigued by all of his close encounters with death. Kunoichi looked back and forth at Keiji and Magoichi, "Well Mister Magoichi, have fun!" She said with joyous sarcasm as she attempted to go up the stairs, only to find that it was blocked by a door of iron bars, she turned to look back at Keiji, who was grinning back at her holding and twirling around the keys within his fingers.  
"Keiji, just give her the keys, this doesn't concern you!" Magoichi said, thrusting his rifle in the air at him. Keiji stared blankly at Magoichi, shrugging it off as if Magoichi hadn't said it.  
"Sorry buddy, I can't!" Keiji replied, "Lord Nobunaga is dead, what do you have to gain by killing Lord Tokugawa?" He asked.  
"Call it Conviction!" Magoichi replied. Kunoichi stared at him with a look of sheer exasperation, "'Call it Conviction' More like he's asking a ninja girl to get him an easy woman." She said irksomely, quickly she used Kai Ninjitsu to swipe the key and unlocked the door, pulling Magoichi through and closing the wall, "We'll deal with you later!" She said as she climbed the stairs.

Tokugawa turned and faced the unlikely pair, "Sorry, but my master needs your head!" Kunoichi threatened, drawing her blades and running and striking Tokugawa with the speed only a ninja could bear. Magoichi shot off all of the Iga ninjas, thinking to himself, "Where is the leader ninja if there are so many Iga clan ninjas here?" Suddenly it came to him, "That's not Tokugawa!" He ran and assisted her as so many ninjas were about to pounce on her. The Tokugawa that Kunoichi was fighting had lifted himself into the air and shed the body of Tokugawa; it was Hattori Hanzo wielding the infamous Hiryuu, a Kama that was revered to be made by from the claws of a flying dragon. After shooting off the ninjas, Magoichi and Kunoichi had stepped up to fight the master ninja. "This is for Lord Yukimura!" She said as she leapt toward Hanzo, striking his weapon as she tried to strike him, Magoichi made sure that he was unable to use the chain attachment as he shot at it precisely with an eagle's accuracy.  
"Vanish into shadows!" Hanzo said as he attempted to strike Kunoichi, but he was shot off balance by Magoichi, Kunoichi turned his attack against him, striking him voraciously. Hanzo leapt to his feet, using his Ninjitsu, he summoned replicas of himself as even more ninjas joined in to fight. Magoichi fired wildly, striking ninjas and replicas, while the ninjas were dying; every replica shot through created another one. Without need to worry of being shot off-guard, Hanzo was now free to use his chain. Magoichi had to figure out the secret to the replicas, he knew that Kunoichi would be killed if he didn't. Magoichi paid close attention to the Hanzo replicas that were swinging their chain attachments, all of the chains weren't reflecting the bright morning light, except for one. "Bang!" Magoichi fired, striking Hanzo, the replicas were defeated, and Kunoichi took this opportunity to strike Hanzo, dealing the killing blow as she cut him across the neck.  
"A shadow...never dies..." Hanzo fell to the ground, leaving Magoichi the break to see if Kunoichi was alright. She was slightly injured, Hanzo's blade had struck her across the hip, Magoichi had assisted with the tying a bandage in place.

"Lord Yukimura, please hold on, if you die, I..." She started heading out when she was confronted by Keiji. Magoichi walked up to him, nudging Kunoichi out of the way. Keiji looked at their injuries and forgot his anger, "I forgot to tell you, Tokugawa was headed for Ueda castle, sorry, it slipped my mind." He said as he pulled them out of Gifu and mounted them on horses, "I'll accompany you to Ueda!" Keiji said, as Magoichi eyed him suspiciously; Kunoichi took the lead, not paying attention to the group that she had amassed. "So where'd you pick this one up? Fiery little ninja girl if I must say," Keiji said, riding along beside Magoichi.  
"She's not mine, she came to kill Tokugawa, but as Hanzo was here, she needs to get back to Ueda to protect Yukimura Sanada." Magoichi replied calmly. Keiji stared at him, his jaw hanging open, "Do you know who Yukimura is?!" Keiji asked excitement in his voice. Magoichi shook his head, "He's fighting Tokugawa, the only thing is, and he was nearly killed by Hanzo!" Keiji replied, speeding up his horse, Magoichi took a few moments before he understood, his face scrunched, he then figured it out, speeding up his horse as well, trailing behind Kunoichi, who was followed by Keiji.  
  
"Yukimura, Tokugawa's vast army has arrived, you're brother is allied with him! We are seriously outnumbered!" Hideyori exclaimed. Yukimura stared at him, his grip upon his spear tightened with anger, "I know, but we must press on, we must show the Tokugawa that they can not rule and oppress us with the chaos!" Yukimura was forced to lean his spear on the horse; his wound had started to cause him more pain.  
"But Yukimura, you, yourself shouldn't be fighting, your injury hinders you abilities, besides it will make you easier to kill, and more of a target!" Hideyori tried to reason with Yukimura, to no avail. "Lord Hideyori, Tokugawa will not let you become a threat, he will kill you!" Yukimura said.  
"But he promised my father he would protect me!" Hideyori had begged.  
  
"It means nothing to Tokugawa." Yukimura said, hopping on his horse, grabbing his side with his right hand, picking up his spear with the left. "I'm sorry..." Yukimura said, Kunoichi in his mind, "I love you..."  
  
**End of Chapter 3  
**  
_Note: I wish I had it as easy as those who I write about, if I did, I'd dedicate this to my girlfriend, but "No luck with women either..." Unfortunately I don't have the food that Magoichi had in his opening, but when my pie is ready, I'll dig into it. Don't worry, all of you on the edge of your seats, Yukimura will make it, he has a lot more he needs to do, but what if he doesn't? What if he dies a painful hopeless death? What would become of Kunoichi? Why is Magoichi so aloof? The answers and more in the next chapter._


	4. Prelude to Chaos

**Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai Chapter 4  
** _A Prelude to Chaos_  
  
"This is where it ends..." Yukimura said, he waved his spear with weakness, signaling his troops to charge forward beyond to the enemy. He charged forward himself, riding past hundreds of enemy troops, stomping them to the ground with relative ease. His armor had been cleaned up, he had written his last death haiku, the symbol of his bandanna gave him pride to go and die like a samurai. His long black hair wavered through the wind, his piercing eyes looked to the enemy, he knew that his brother was awaiting him, as was his sister in-law, Inahime, daughter of Tadakatsu Honda, one of Tokugawa's most esteemed generals. Muskets fired past him, he could feel the bullets in the air, tearing through the heavens, and his cavalry had all been shot down, except for him. Beads of sweat moistened his skin, his body was ice cold, and his hands struggled to keep the reigns and the spear. He jumped down upon a group of musketeers with his heavy horse, weakly slashing one he had missed, groups of samurai were coming to converge upon him, Yukimura had no space to escape, he got into a defensive stance, suddenly he heard a familiar, but bitter sound voice, "Oh dear brother, how it seems that even when you are so close to death, I still can not bear to see you die by anyone else." It was Nobuyuki Sanada and his wife, Inahime. A flaming arrow loaded onto her great bow; quickly she fired it into the crowd of samurai, setting them ablaze. Nobuyuki jumped onto equal group with his brother, thrusting his spear point at Yukimura, "You and father opposed Tokugawa, and so you will die!" Nobuyuki said as Inahime readied another arrow and aimed it at Yukimura.  
"Very well...I will show you no mercy!" Yukimura said bravely, sensing the arrow. Nobuyuki grinned and laughed at the pitiable threat his brother made. Inahime let go of the arrow, Yukimura parried it back toward her, leaving himself vulnerable, as Nobuyuki rushed toward him, Yukimura fell off of his horse, Yukimura did it out of both planning and weakness in his abdomen. Nobuyuki struck the air over the horse, as Yukimura leapt upward striking Nobuyuki's horse. Then came a familiar and enjoyable voice, yet one of vengeance, "Nobuyuki, we have your woman!" Keiji gloated; Kunoichi had bound Inahime and had a dagger to her throat. Nobuyuki looked on with spite, putting his guard down as Inahime was thrust toward him without her bow, grabbing her with hatred, he pulled her along after saying, "Brother, next time, I will have your head!"  
Kunoichi rushed to Yukimura's side, helping him up, Keiji was busy taking care of all of the samurai that wanted to rush to death. Magoichi was nicely perched upon a rock shooting down all of the musketeers too preoccupied with shooting at the Toyotomi-Sanada army. "Keiji, you came to my assistance?!" Yukimura gasped out.  
"Well, you did assist me with Uesugi Kenshin's challenge, so I figured I owed you one." Keiji said, pointing out Magoichi, "You remember him, right?" Yukimura nodded. "Now I remember you're that Sanada boy, I didn't quite recognize you without your fierce personality, guess Hanzo got you good." Magoichi said, taking down more musketeers. Kunoichi helped the limping Yukimura, Magoichi and Keiji taking care of the small business with the enemy soldiers, leaving Kunoichi to bandage Yukimura's wounds and to explain her absence. "I'm sorry, Lord Yukimura, I tried to kill Tokugawa on my own, but only Hanzo was at the castle, luckily we got him..." Kunoichi said, thinking that she would be punished for going leaving Yukimura like she did.  
"It's alright...You may do as you like..." Yukimura said joyous to see her again, "Will you..." He was interrupted, Kunoichi put a finger to his lips, she kissed him fervently, after bandaging him up, she stood him up, Keiji had gone onward to protect Hideyori and Magoichi continued to snipe the enemy battalions as they fought with the Toyotomi-Sanada army. Kunoichi helped him limp past the clearing made by the ridiculously powerful Keiji, with his spear used as a walking stick. Yukimura clutched onto Kunoichi, dropping his spear and embracing her, "I love you..." Yukimura said, as Kunoichi kneeled to the ground amidst the battle and the bloodshed, cradling him lovingly, she replied, "I love you too."  
  
The battle turned in favor of the Toyotomi-Sanada with the arrival of Keiji, Magoichi, and Kunoichi, but it would not end there: Okuni, Goemon Ishikawa, and the Saika mercenaries arrived to decimate the entire Tokugawa army, Ieyasu was about to retreat, but two figures blocked his path, the readied Kunoichi, and the wavering Yukimura, both had taken out Tokugawa's defensive forces.  
  
"Sanada Yukimura, please spare me! You are truly Japan's greatest samurai!" Tokugawa begged; Yukimura approached him, spear in hand, with a quick stroke, Tokugawa fell to the ground; a clean cut spared him unnecessary pain. "Finally...it's over..." Yukimura nearly fell to the ground, saved by Kunoichi who noted that he merely passed out, she herself, carried him as far back to the main camp as she could before Keiji assisted.  
  
"Yukimura...Yukimura...You are dead...this is Hell..." Said a mal-formed voice that giggled at the end, Yukimura's eyelids twitched, he felt like he was drained of all energy. His body ached, his bones felt as if they were all but stable, the weight of his body held him down. "Yukimura...Don't go back to sleep!" yelled an annoyed, but tender, loving, and caring voice. A hand waved over his head, brushing back the locks of hair that fell into his face as his bandanna had been removed, Yukimura grinned, tender lips fell upon his, kissing him tenderly. He opened his eyes to see Kunoichi's smiling face so close to his, she leaned over him from her kneeling on the floor; her eyelids hid her beautiful eyes. He wanted to hold her, he wanted to feel her silky hair, her soft skin, he wanted to caress her, and show her his true affection, but his body refused to move. His arms were almost as if weighed down to the bed. Her cool check and cold nose rubbed against his warm, bright cheek. He noticed how beautiful each part of her was when he was unable to move and focus on a different one each and every second. Her eyes sparkled radiantly as they opened to see his, her small hands, as pale as her pure skin, held to his face, their smoothness infatuated him, her eyebrows expressed perfectly each emotion, thinner then a reed of rice, her pursed lips as adorable as a puppy's smile, her petite body was accentuated by every limb, part, and feature. Yukimura managed to speak, as eloquently as he could, "You're so beautiful..." Unbeknownst to him his brother and sister in-law were planning an attack upon Yukimura when he was most vulnerable...  
  
**End of Chapter 4  
**  
_Fans: Yea, I know what your thinking, 'How are you going to make this any better? Yukimura and Kunoichi are together, if Nobunaga is dead and Hideyori is alive, then Akechi Mitsuhide is dead. Ranmaru is dead, Tokugawa is dead, Hanzo is dead, who's left to oppose Yukimura and make this story interesting?! Well...I don't know, Masamune isn't dead, as well as Nobuyuki Sanada, maybe you'll find out why he and Yukimura aren't up in arms about seeing each other. Nagamasa Azai and Oichi are together, maybe a damn good reason to fight Sanada could come to me, or maybe not. I'll probably make the next few chapters just Romantic with a little Comedy to suspend you all a bit and to lighten the mood. It's not that I have writer's block, it's just I have so many ideas, I need to find which ones will accurately work._


	5. Thankless Thief, Elogant Dancer, and the...

**Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai Chapter Five  
The Thankless Thief, the Elegant Dancer, and the Sleep-over**  
  
"...Make sure to look out your window when the moon peers through." Kunoichi said to Yukimura, who was yawning uncontrollably. Kunoichi kissed his forehead and left out the doorway, just as Magoichi entered. He looked the Yukimura, who, like a child, needed a lot of rest if he was to over- come his injuries. "So what is happening when the moon peers through your window?" Magoichi asked.  
"...Oh...Uh..." Yukimura covered his mouth as he yawned, "She's going to...Uhh...Go up on the rooftop directly across, disrobe, dance, and then go skinny dipping..." Yukimura laid his head against his pillow, and pulled his blanket over his shoulder as he turned on his side and closed his eyes. Magoichi was just about to leave when Kunoichi had appeared on the rooftop, her body shadowed by the bright moon, just as Yukimura said, Kunoichi danced around for a while, meaning to entice and entertain Yukimura. Magoichi stood with his mouth gaping open, Keiji entered as well, both of the guys unable to stop staring.  
  
Kunoichi danced freely, happy, knowing that she had Yukimura back, she turned to look through the wind, the moonlight revealing all in the room. Suddenly she screamed, covering herself as she noticed the Keiji and Magoichi were peering through Yukimura's window, quickly, she grabbed her clothes, and vanished using her ninjitsu.  
  
"Wow!!" Magoichi gawked in admiration, "If only I could meet a girl like that!"  
  
"Yea...Yukimura's got some girl!" Keiji said loudly, apparently his voice had disrupted Yukimura's sleep as he threw a pillow at Keiji. Magoichi and Keiji then took the initiative to return to their rooms, where their rewards were. Magoichi, actually had his, and lost it, offending all of Kunoichi's ninja girls, getting slapped several times as he said things he knew better then to say to a woman. Keiji had shared a room with Okuni, as there weren't enough rooms for everyone, Goemon on the other hand got the unlucky straw and was forced to sleep outside, and also for the fact Kunoichi didn't trust him inside Yukimura's castle.  
Kunoichi returned to Yukimura's room, finding him asleep, sighing to herself, she lay down beside Yukimura, pulling some of the blanket over herself, falling asleep with her arm around Yukimura's abdomen. When she woke up, she found that, although limping, Yukimura was dressed him his red armor and was waiting for Kunoichi to wake up so they could go down to breakfast, where everyone was waiting for them.  
"Did you get to see me last night?" Kunoichi inquired, knowing what his answer would be.  
  
"I'm sorry; I had fallen asleep shortly after you left..." Yukimura said apologetically. Kunoichi got up, still in her underwear, "...So you didn't see Keiji and Magoichi last night?" She asked again.  
  
"Were they dancing with you?" Yukimura asked with a grin on his face. Kunoichi got up and got ready, taking her time spitefully, saying to herself, "If you think you have the right to spy on me, I have the right to make you wait a long time to eat" She grinned as she looked in the mirror, combing her hair. Yukimura attempted to hold her hand on the way down to the dinning hall, only to see Kunoichi look spiteful, unaware to her that Yukimura was watching her as she imagined grinding Magoichi and Keiji in a giant machine. They finally reached the dinning hall, everyone, including Goemon, was waiting.  
"Do you dare make one who came to your rescue wait to be served?!" Goemon yelled, being beaten down by Katsunaga who sat beside him. "You do not talk to the person who lets you stay in his castle like that!" He said respectfully bowing to Yukimura as he sat down. Kunoichi glared at Magoichi and Keiji as she sat herself down beside Yukimura and Okuni, who was situated by Goemon, who sat next to Katsunaga, who was seated across from Hideyori, but next to the Saika Mercenaries, who sat next to Magoichi, who was beside Keiji, who was beside Hideyori, and finally was beside Yukimura.  
"I trust you all had a good sleep? How was the dance, you two?" Yukimura said inoffensively to Magoichi and Keiji, both took it extremely out of hand, surprising Yukimura and the others. "We didn't mean to, it just captivated us!" Keiji said, with a tone of fear in his voice, "Please don't take my head!" Magoichi on the other hand, was silently kicking Keiji, whispering, "Shut up, their staring at us!" This startled Yukimura, "What seems to be the matter? I was informed that you three danced together." Yukimura said innocently.  
"Actually those two were looking out your window!" Kunoichi shouted, stabbing a dagger into the table, Yukimura took a few minutes to process this, but Kunoichi took it a bit out of hand, he thought, soon breakfast turned into a slug-fest, Kunoichi was strangling both Keiji and Magoichi, one with her bare hands, the other with her feet. Hideyori cleared his throat, "I must confess: I apologize if you take this the wrong way, but I had no idea it was you dancing on the rooftop at night." Kunoichi settled down, Yukimura, not offended by Kunoichi's attack on Keiji and Magoichi, nor Hideyori, Magoichi, and Keiji's viewing of Kunoichi's strip-tease.  
  
"People, people, let's just calm down and eat our food, we should all be thankful that we survived Tokugawa's assault, I owe you all a debt of which I will never get the chance to pay in full, but for now, let us enjoy this meal." He said with a giant small on his face. The entire group ate silently, except for Yukimura, who attempted to start conversations, only to be silenced by the silence. "So...How did the Saika gun team get started?" "Where did you learn to dance, Okuni?" "Have you found any good treasure, Goemon?" "Lord Hideyori, what are you going to do now?" Yukimura said over the course of an hour, always being stared down with a sulky gloom, his smile diminishing as well with each glare. Apparently, now that all confessions had been made, everyone was disappointed with one another. Yukimura hadn't any idea how to break the silence, so he just sat staring at his food. When everyone was finished, they stared at him, knowing that it was disrespectful to rise above the ruler of the castle, Yukimura, sulking and gloomy, dismissed all of them with a wave of his hand, sighing sadly as they all disperse.  
  
Kunoichi with Okuni, both avoiding Keiji and Magoichi, Hideyori came and apologized to her once more before being forgiven. The Saika Mercenaries disperse to overlook the Sanada army's training as asked by Yukimura; Magoichi and Keiji came back to the dining table to apologize to Yukimura, who still sat staring at his food, which by that time was on the verge of becoming ice-cold. "Yukimura, you're probably mad at us for ruining your breakfast, and as it was the first time you have been able to come down here and eat, but...we are extremely sorry, and we will be willing to...umm...give you possession of Goemon Ishikawa...and do whatever else to make amends to both you and that ninja girl of yours." Magoichi pleaded, Yukimura remained silent, poking at his breakfast with his chop-sticks.  
  
Everyone returned at dinner time, only to find Yukimura surrounded by a warm dinner, a cold lunch, and a barely edible breakfast, there Yukimura sat, nibbling at his breakfast, not wanting to waste it. "By this rate he'll have finished his breakfast around breakfast time tomorrow!" Katsunaga said, staring at the group who stood gawking at the depressed Yukimura. Everyone turned to Kunoichi, expecting her to make things better for all of them, quick on her feet she kneeled behind Yukimura and began whispering loving, yet crude things into his ear. Everyone sat in their original seats, hoping to see more energy from him, even though everyone was on ends with the other; they all managed to try to speak decently to each other.

Okuni, though trying to bring Yukimura's spirit up, ended all of the talking by asking, "Master Keiji, Master Magoichi, how was her dancing?" This received an emotion for Yukimura, but not one everyone wasn't expecting, he looked up from his food, rolled his eyes and watched as all Hell was about to break loose. He felt Kunoichi glaring at the two, as well as seeing their responses, "Well...she umm...is a good dancer!" Magoichi replied, as he began sinking under the table, Keiji quickly shrunk with him as Kunoichi specifically eyed him. Kunoichi release Yukimura as she felt him getting up and quickly turning and heading for his room.

Everyone, except Kunoichi, Magoichi, Keiji, and Goemon got up as Yukimura did. The mercenaries looked at Magoichi, Kunoichi looked at Goemon who seemed to be sneaking off, and Okuni stared at Keiji. "You had better apologize, or I will look for a new sleeping companion." Okuni said displeased at the chaos caused by Keiji, the Mercenaries needed only stare at Magoichi to force him to apologize, Kunoichi followed Goemon, who was looking for any treasures in the castle he could swipe. Hideyori looked at Katsunaga and said, "I feel I must go and plead with Yukimura for forgiveness, I feel it is what I owe him." He said as he, Keiji, and Magoichi followed the path to Yukimura's room, where the candles were blown out and Yukimura was already in his bed.

"Mister Yukimura..." Keiji said in a melodic tone, "Would you mind, maybe, if you had the heart, to find it in, and forgive us?" Magoichi looked at him and said, "Would you possibly mind if we stayed with you for tonight? We don't have any rooms to go back to." Magoichi silenced Hideyori with his hand, he knew Hideyori was going to tell Keiji and Magoichi to both sleep outside with Goemon. Yukimura rose out of his covers, "If you desire, you may all use my quarters if you truly haven't a room to return to." He noticed that the sun was going down, the moon would be up, "She wouldn't do it again, not now anyway" Yukimura said to himself, he really only watched to humor her before, but now he felt that he really missed it. He sighed and pulled out a couple of extra pillows and blankets for his three companions, unbeknownst to him Katsunaga and the generals on the Saika Mercenaries would also join him, doing so, while bringing many bottles of sake with them.  
  
"You really have to go now!" Kunoichi said, grabbing Goemon and throwing him out of the castle into the damp soggy area outside the castle. She glared at him as he scurried away, taking one of Yukimura's first haiku, she stuck her tongue out at the fleeing Yukimura as Okuni came up behind her. "Miss, it seems the men have all gone into Master Yukimura's room." Okuni gave Kunoichi the details, which gave her a plan, Kunoichi told Okuni and they proceeded. "Operation: Enlighten Yukimura, and kill Keiji and Magoichi is underway!" Kunoichi shouted, fitfully creeping to the rooftop with Okuni before the moon fully lit Yukimura's room up...  
  
**End of Chapter 5**  
  
_Note: Well, there wasn't any spoilers given away as to the plan, but let's just say, I hope you all have a good mental image of Okuni's second outfit and Kunoichi's as well, I can describe Kunoichi's, but not without using words I am uncomfortable with, I'll have to go play as Okuni tonight and figure out how to describe it more. But that's all I'm telling you all about that. I would like to thank my fifth reviewer Phoenix something or other (sorry) but last night, while listening to some really depressing music and writing in my greatest journal account, I felt very depressed, yes, I am a depressed person, you all are probably wondering, "How can a depressing person write about romance in this way?" Well think of all the other romantic stories, mine must contain action, or I fall asleep, but yes, back on subject, thanks Phoenix, and I hope you all like this chapter, if you must, in order to see this and the next chapter in view, think of all the characters in chibi anime forms, it will put the perspective on these two chapters and it will also probably give you a laugh or two. _


	6. The Inner Most Feelings

**Samurai Warrior: Crimson Samurai Chapter 6  
The Inner Most Feelings**  
  
Yukimura sat drinking sake with Keiji, Magoichi, Hideyori, and Katsunaga, while the Saika Mercenaries womanized all of the willing members of Kunoichi's ninja squad. The five sat in a circle, Yukimura was facing the window with Hideyori across from him; Katsunaga was on Hideyori's left, Magoichi on his right, and Keiji beside Yukimura. Due to the sake, Yukimura was beginning to lighten up and speak freely; he explained why he was disappointed at the group.  
"Tokugawa wanted to end the chaos, and as I opposed him, he deemed me the chaos. Now that he's gone I wonder if there will still be chaos, even if it was just a petty squabble, it got me to thinking long about it." Yukimura said, looking at his reflection in the sake. Magoichi and Keiji both felt empathetic for Yukimura, both had lived such relatively easy lives, Keiji wandering from place to place, fighting every battle that he could; Magoichi thought about how he really only lived for women.  
"Well, Keiji and I are sorry for disturbing both your sleep and watching that ninja girl of yours. We didn't mean anything by it, she's very captivating, and I envy you for your success in life." Magoichi said, pouring more sake into Yukimura's bowl. Hideyori and Katsunaga were both nodding in and out of sleep, Keiji cackled at the sight of a powerful man being reduced to an unstable drunkard. They all continued to talk and drink merrily; Yukimura relaxed more, despite the sounds of ninja girls in the background screaming playfully.  
  
"Well, are we ready?!" Kunoichi asked, her new outfit consisted of a metal breast-plate, a collar that held the pink cloth the covered up to her nose, a pink mini-skirt, with a pink purse tied to the back. The back of her hair was tied downwards in a pigtail like fashion, while the rest of her hair fell naturally, covering her forehead. Okuni came out, wearing a pink and green dancer's outfit, her hair tied up and to the back intricately, her bottom lip sticking out more now as she put on lip-stick.  
"Miss, what exactly is this plan of yours?" Okuni asked, unaware of Kunoichi's devious plan, Kunoichi replied by motioning Okuni to follow her, they were stealthily sneaking up to Yukimura's room, where they knew that all the guys were drinking and harassing her ninja group, she was very determined, to Okuni's dismay, she was concentrated only on the plan, as Okuni was having a hard enough time climbing the ninja path in a dress, whilst not dropping her umbrella. Kunoichi had made it to the window, where she peeked in. All of the guys except for Yukimura were asleep, most of them, except for Keiji, Hideyori, and Katsunaga, were spooning with the sleeping ninja girls. Yukimura sat with his back to the window; he appeared to be writing something, a bottle and a bowl of sake were sitting beside him. Kunoichi looked over at Okuni, who was struggling to walk up the roof wearing the sandals she was, Kunoichi looked compassionately at her, she assisted Okuni, taking off her sandals and quietly placing them down, the crept into the window, Kunoichi moving silently and slowly toward Yukimura, Okuni went to the peacefully sleeping Keiji and lay down beside him.  
"You need not sneak up on me." Yukimura said, although she knew he had been drinking, his tolerance had made it so that he could drink so much and yet still think clearly and speak with his unwavering tone. Kunoichi dropped to the floor behind him and held him, she looked over at what he was writing, tears blocked her eye-sight and she was unable to see what he had written. Yukimura sealed the bottle of ink and placed his brush down; Kunoichi released him and stood up as he did, "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Yukimura asked, holding her arms, he looked into her eyes, deep blue eyes they were, her face had become pink as she was becoming flustered, her lips painted in red, the rouge she put on earlier was beginning to run down her face. Likewise, Kunoichi looked at his face, his tan-skin, his long black hair; his amber eyes peered into hers, his calm demeanor and his unflinching face came close to hers, she was holding back as many tears as she could, her face twitching as she felt like crying. She wondered why she was so sad, she felt as if Yukimura had, if only for a day, shunned the world and everyone in it, including her, but now, seeing his face, seeing the concern and consideration in his eyes, voice and movement, she was happy, yet she was sad. He leaned in to kiss her, but she placed her finger to his lips, as the last tear fell to the floor, he followed her out onto the rooftop across from Yukimura's room. He watched her dance, she moved gracefully, before all he could see was a shadow moving across the rooftop, sleep always took him before he could see the end of her dance, the warm summer air blew across his bare skin, each time Kunoichi faced him, she noticed the scar that Hanzo had left, her face showing concern, while his was emblazoned with a smile that she rarely saw. All of the scars from his battles had not faded, his legs, arms, chest, and even his back was covered in them, Yukimura never paid attention to them after they healed, but this one Hanzo gave was the biggest, it was a giant mark across his abdomen. Kunoichi stopped and walked to Yukimura.  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked; her sleek body and her rosy skin pierced through the night sky, moonlight revealing neither a scratch nor a blemish on her petite body. She held a hand out to him; he grabbed it and pulled her down onto him playfully.  
"Are you sure that our clothes will still be here when we get back?" He said as he wrapped his arms around Kunoichi's waist, her skin as smooth as silk, but far more beautiful, he kissed her on the neck and released her, taking her hand and running off the rooftop, jumping into the cold lake below.  
  
"Did you all see that?!" Magoichi said to the group of everyone at the window, after seeing what they had and now listening to the playful laughter and screams of the two as the splashed around the lake, hidden by the castle rooftop that lay obstructing their view into the passion of the two lovers. Keiji stood shocked, looked at Magoichi and back to the rooftop, a sinister playful grin came across his face, quickly, he and Magoichi scurried onto the other roof as silently as they could, retrieving Yukimura's clothes, leaving only his red armor on top of the roof, beside Kunoichi's. They quickly returned and went with the others, cleaning up Yukimura's room and retiring to theirs, most of them now sharing their room with one of Kunoichi's feisty ninja girls, except for Magoichi, who still didn't have anyone.  
  
The very next morning a happy Kunoichi had reached the dining table first, she joined the others, unbeknownst to her she had a bigger audience then before. "Lord Yukimura won't be joining us because he is still deciding on what to wear." Kunoichi said with a half-hearted grin on her face, she could barely keep from laughing as she eyed Magoichi and Keiji, both wearing an article of Yukimura's clothes, Magoichi wearing the black hakama and Keiji with the black kimono, both of them grinning like little boys.  
"How did Yukimura like your dancing?" Okuni, again asking innocently, unknowingly starting riling Kunoichi's feathers, as everyone else began laughing like hyenas. Kunoichi grinned sarcastically at them all as Keiji blurted out, "If you want to give him a private strip-tease, you should do it in his room, that way no one will see you." The laughing stopped and everyone stared at Keiji menacingly, Magoichi and Okuni both going as far as to throw rice-balls at him.  
"Keiji, we know you just want what Yukimura has." Magoichi said, as Keiji began to hide under the table again. Keiji, trying his best to think up a comeback easily got him with, "Well, at least not all women hate me." Kunoichi took Yukimura's plates up to his room, with the assistance of a few overly happy ninja girls, grinning at how Yukimura would find pleasure in listening to their conversation.  
  
"...Hmm...I would look horrible if I didn't have the black to outline the red..." Yukimura said, wearing a black hakama, looking through his wide variety of kimonos, "Hmm...Green? No. Red on red isn't right...Blues too light..." Kunoichi walked in with his food.  
"Still not dressed yet I see." She laughed at him, "You're too color conscious, you don't have to wear your red armor now." She said, unexpectedly provoking him into his full, heavy, brown samurai armor, complete with a helmet with tiny thin deer antlers. She shook her head with humor at him as he asked how he looked. "You look good enough to hunt." She said.  
"Oh my...even in the morning you two are so romantic and passionate." Replied the ninja that was assisting, playing off of the Yukimura said, "We know she loves the thrill of the hunt." Kunoichi was smiling, but her mouth gaping open, the ninja placed his food down and departed, laughing uncontrollably. She ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck came in to kiss him, stopping midway to look around as Yukimura had tapped her back, when she focus again on Yukimura, his lips had already embraced hers. Together they sat and ate, talking of mundane trivialities, taking enjoyment in the other's presence.  
  
When they went downstairs they found everyone crowding around, shocked, they turned to Yukimura who stepped back at the sight of which he saw. Kunoichi looked with sadness, grabbing his arm, one of Kunoichi's ninjas had been struck and ran through into the wall, in her blood written a message to Yukimura, "Brother, this is the consequence for leaving yourself too vulnerable..."  
  
**End of Chapter 6**  
  
_Authorial Note: This begins the next part of the story, Kudos to Cyndai; sorry if this wasn't written soon enough for you. This is the first story I've ever written to get past chapter 5 and not be completely boring. Hope ya'll like it, because I won't have time to do chapter 7 tomorrow, so you all may have to wait a whole two days to see how this will all be resolved. I'm gonna be watching an Akira Kurosawa movie spectacular, thingy. I also learned that I and my brother are both very much alike, him being a samurai fan as well. Although his favorite is Musashi, whose isn't? Mine is Jubei Yagyu, and I'm beginning to like Yukimura, if you couldn't tell._


	7. Love and Chaos

** Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai Chapter 7  
Love and Chaos**  
  
_"In chaos, one can not remain pure...The blood will not wash away easily...I, alone will shoulder the sorrow. That is all..."  
_  
Yukimura shielded Kunoichi from the sight, he, himself uncertain of the future now. He would once again be called to take up his spear and fight his brother, "What happened to us?" Yukimura said silently, he led Kunoichi upstairs, where she lay for hours.  
"Yukimura, what is your brother's problem?" Magoichi asked angrily, a look of bitterness in his face as he poured sake into his bowl. It was just Magoichi, Yukimura, Hideyori, and Katsunaga; Keiji had stayed with Okuni who wept, the Saika Mercenaries and the rest of the ninja girls had went to bury the dead girl.  
"My brother sided with Tokugawa, my father and I sided with Shingen Takeda, until his death, when I became an officer for the Toyotomi Clan." Yukimura said, he sipped at his sake and stared deeply into it. Hideyori and Katsunaga looked at each other.  
"Lord Yukimura, please allow us to assist you. There is no possibility that Nobuyuki could bring an army strong enough to take down the mighty Sanada and Toyotomi clans together." Hideyori said with happiness in his voice.  
  
"Yukimura, the Saika Mercenaries and I will gladly assist you as well." Magoichi said, vengeance in his voice, the thought of a beautiful woman being harmed on account of one seeking to prove a violent point disgusted him. His raised his rifle over his shoulder and walked out, leaving Yukimura and Hideyori stunned. Yukimura turned to Hideyori, "Lord Hideyori, thank you, but I need to handle this on my own, he is my brother and I can not let him kill anyone else because I refused to take immediate action." Yukimura got up and left to go check on Kunoichi.  
  
Magoichi turned and looked at a target in the castle's front, where warriors practiced their bow and musket skills, holding his Kunimoto in his right hand; he aimed it at the target, passion in his eyes, as if preparing to guide the bullet into the target, he fired the rifle, the shot directly penetrated straight through the target, but in doing so, the force of the shot, combined with the great accuracy, the target broke in half. He threw the rifle over his shoulder and kept walking on; the marksmen behind him looked on with astonishment, backing off as he turned, even the Saika Mercenaries knew better enough then to bother Magoichi as he was.  
  
Yukimura ascended to his room, Kunoichi still lay on the blanket, her body facing the ground, Yukimura knew, even through her silence, tears were gathering and falling from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Kunoichi." He said, she turned her body to him, her face had become pink, and tears fell from her cheeks like a glass of water that had been turned over on a table, the drops fall from the edge rapidly. "I will kill Nobuyuki..." Yukimura said, interrupted by Kunoichi, "...As I will kill Inahime." Her eyebrows slanted, her eyes widened, her nostrils flared, and her lips frowned; her appearance worried Yukimura, he had never seen her, this angry before, in fact, he couldn't recall ever seeing her this enraged. He rushed over to her, kissed her forehead and embraced her, whispering in her ear, "Please, stay here...Please, I will not allow you to fight this time..." She resisted his embrace, she looked at him, his face carrying the emotion of a casual concern, hers carried the flaming emotion of hatred, and neither was used to such emotions, so they were unable to cope with the emotions properly, placing Kunoichi into a blood-lust and Yukimura into an effeminate state. She released herself of his grip and left him sitting on the ground, like before, he was wary of what her plan was.  
  
Keiji had finished consoling Okuni, she had fallen asleep crying, afterward he met with Magoichi and a tense Yukimura, there was no way of talking Keiji and Magoichi out of it, both had a heart ready for battle, Magoichi for justice, and Keiji for passion, Yukimura felt nothing in his heart about this battle, nothing except for fear of Kunoichi getting injured, or worse. "...In her reckless state she is bound to get herself killed." Magoichi said, "There is only one way to insure her safety, it is also the only way to beat a ninja: We have to kill Nobuyuki first." Keiji looked at him, a look of pure stupidity going toward Magoichi. "How exactly do you expect us to kill Nobuyuki without Kunoichi finding out, she's a ninja, meaning, even if we were planning to, she would be able to find out quickly." Keiji snarled, turning to hopefully get Yukimura's nod of approval. Yukimura contemplated on the matter, but he knew that a full-scale assault would be inevitable as well, and even though fully healed, he would not be able to stop Kunoichi, her ninja speed and newfound vengeance would eventually consume her, if she continued.  
  
"Ninjas are you ready?" Kunoichi asked, a pair of new daggers forged for her, the Shiranui, two powerful blades, but still not a weapon meant for a direct assault into battle. The castle's ninjas had all gathered around her, for the loss of one, they would make Nobuyuki pay with his entirety. The shadows quickly departed, leaving Kunoichi as she prepared to follow them. She thought about Yukimura, his glance earlier was one of concern, he knew that the death of a close-friend was difficult, but the ninjas were all Kunoichi had growing up before she met Yukimura; she refused to allow for every single to be forgotten over a single bloody victory. This time, no one's life was at stake, but she had to move and strike fast.  
  
"It's decided, Magoichi, bring all of your mercenaries, Keiji, leave Okuni here, she'll be alright. We will storm Nobuyuki's castle, and kill him, but we must leave tonight." Yukimura said, going up to his room and putting on his full armor. Magoichi left his trench-coat and let his hair down, the mercenaries were all ready. Keiji had mounted his horse, his pike resting on the saddle. Just as the sun went down, they all left, riding toward Nobuyuki's recent acquired castle, Azuchi Castle. The sound of hoofs stormed the night like a blaze of lightning and thunder. There they cleared a path, heading straight for Azuchi, making very rare stops, they were able to reach it in a matter of days, their provisions were low, but as they reached Azuchi, they knew that they would not be without once they took the castle.

Yukimura, leading all of the others, they stormed the castle, gun shots rung through the air, samurai fell to the ground as they exploded from the shots. Blood littered the ground; the Sanada-Saika-Maeda army had annihilated the entire weakened guard of the Nobuyuki army. Only Magoichi, Yukimura, and Keiji entered the castle, the Saika Mercenaries stayed outside to ensure that no one entered and snuck up behind the three. They quickly noticed why Azuchi was called the Palace of the Demon Lord, traps were littered everywhere, they attempted to climb to the fourth floor, but a misstep had taken them into a room where they found Kunoichi, battling against an iron-clad figure.

"Freeze!" Magoichi shouted, raising his gun at the figure, only to lower it when he saw who stepped out of the shadows. Magoichi and Keiji stepped back, frightened by the appearance of such a being. "Mitsuhide, get out of our way!" Yukimura shouted, attempting to strike Mitsuhide, only to have his spear knocked away by Mitsuhide's sword, there Yukimura fell off-balance, to Kunoichi's feet; she assisted him up as Mitsuhide turned around and began walking. "What are you doing here Mitsuhide?!" Keiji shouted at the man whom he presumed was dead.  
  
Mitsuhide looked at them, he sheathed his sword and turned away from them, "Located inside this castle is an abyss, and rumor is Nobunaga waits at the lowest level. I'm here to finish what I started at Honnouji." He continued his way away from them. They looked at him surprised, but taking too long, as more troop reinforcements had arrived, quickly, the four took action to strike down the troops, but quickly making their way to the top. As they reached the sixth floor, they witnessed a ghost that they had prayed was gone forever. Nobuyuki sat beside Inahime, clutching her to his side, Oda Nobunaga stared at them from near a window, his frightening sword, the Muramasa in his hand...  
  
**End of Chapter 7  
**  
_ Authorial Notes: Yes, Nobunaga is back, but does he seek to kill Yukimura? Why is Mitsuhide still after Nobunaga's life? Are any other dead characters back to haunt them? This and less in the next chapter of Might Morphin' Power Rangers!_


	8. Finale Part 1

** Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai chapter 8  
Finale: Part 1  
**  
"Nobunaga!" Magoichi fired several rounds at the Demon Lord, all of them easily evaded and slashed away from the Demon Lord's awesome sword. Keiji lunged for him, but Ranmaru fell from the roof and defended him, Yukimura charged at Nobuyuki, but he was bashed away by his spear. Inahime readied an arrow for Yukimura, but Kunoichi interrupted it with her blades. A battle erupted, Magoichi fired several rounds at Nobunaga, who was able to evade the sniper's shots, Keiji was coeur-de-coeur with Ranmaru's nodachi, and Kunoichi was slashing violently at Inahime, leaving Yukimura to fight his brother.  
"Brother, this is the last time you will ever see your whore again, you'd best say good bye to her!" Nobuyuki taunted, swinging his spear around fiercely, Yukimura was on the defensive, his spear was being hacked at, and he had to quickly dodge by lunging to the ground and somersaulting and raising his spear to defend himself. Magoichi was slashing with his bayonet at Nobunaga, occasionally blasting at his armor with his musket. Keiji's speed was keeping Ranmaru on his toes by swinging his spear aimlessly. Ensuring that Inahime would be unable to fire an arrow, Kunoichi kept bashing at Inahime, but she continued to block with her bow.  
Suddenly, Nobuyuki had knocked Yukimura's spear away and was preparing to run-through his own blood. Keiji saw this out of the corner of his eye, he jumped into the fray, striking Nobuyuki's back, allowing Yukimura to reach for his spear, but Ranmaru came back, striking Keiji, pushing him to the window. Magoichi, shooting Nobunaga off-guard, he fired at Ranmaru, Keiji erupted with power, he began swinging his pike with more force, more energy, Ranmaru's sword shattered into many pieces. Ranmaru was forced back again, but Keiji was left weakened. Magoichi had neglected Nobunaga for a few seconds too long, Nobunaga was almost to Magoichi, but suddenly the ninja girl that had slapped Magoichi before, fell into the fray, bringing more reinforcements. She guarded Magoichi, allowing Magoichi to fire several shots into Nobunaga's chest; the ninja had then proceeded to help Kunoichi, who had been bashed away as Inahime had quickly strung an arrow at her. Yukimura was fighting with all he had, his muscles sore from disuse. Nobunaga became a madman, his sword-skill had increased dramatically, he was more precise, and his blade moved faster. Magoichi was having a hard time keeping up, Nobunaga was killing more and more ninjas faster then Magoichi could ready his gun and fire at him. He eyed the ninja girl that had protected him earlier, he move into a defensive position beside her, assuring her of his protection, she grinned at him. Nobunaga's troops were arriving from the stairs; Yukimura and the rest were having a hard enough time fending off their targets, much more trouble fending off the troops as well.  
Keiji, having disarmed Ranmaru, left him and began clearing the other troops that hindered his group, it was a massacre, Kunoichi's Strike Ninjas and Sky Ninjas were being killed mercilessly, and they were easy targets for Nobunaga, who had no particular target. Suddenly, enemies had stopped entering, screams came from outside of the doorway, Mitsuhide had entered, his blade drawn, blood dripping from it. Ranmaru gazed at him, his pale face, his long black hair; his armor was glimmering in the room's light.  
"Lord Yukimura, I am here to assist you!" He began fighting valiantly against Nobunaga, assisting Magoichi and Yukimura; Ranmaru witnessed this, his mentor, again fighting his lord, to the inevitable death. He wondered if he should this time fight against Nobunaga. He went to the wall; he had brought many of his swords with him. He began fighting alongside Mitsuhide, Nobunaga became overwhelmed by the three attackers, Magoichi shot him off-balance, Mitsuhide and Ranmaru took it from there. Magoichi then turned to his ninja, who was assisting Kunoichi, both were heavily injured, Inahime was firing arrows faster then Magoichi could pull the trigger on his musket. Barely they were dodging and rarely were they deflecting the arrows.  
"I'm sorry, but I'm a changed man, I can't put chivalry before conviction." Magoichi aimed his rifle and fired at the unaware Inahime, her left arm was pierced by the bullet, Nobuyuki, who up until that time, was fighting ferociously; he then tried to disengage with his brother. Yukimura, whose wounds had been re-opened by the stray strikes, was fighting with the samurai's spirit. Inahime had managed to pull herself up against the wall, Kunoichi stared at her, her blades ready, suddenly, an injured Nobuyuki had struck her, limping toward Inahime, but before he made it he was shot through the chest, falling at the feet of his injured betrothed.  
Magoichi, seeing that the strongest foes had almost all been eliminated, he decided to assist with clearing the room of the unworthy ones. He fired several shots, sprays of bullets, indiscriminately hitting the enemy troops, Yukimura had gone to Kunoichi, holding her up, he held her close to him, her cold body was warm, she looked at him apologetically; she wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering, "Lord Yukimura...I don't want to die..." Yukimura held her close to him, Magoichi, and Keiji were clearing the room, Mitsuhide and Ranmaru were fighting a demonic Nobunaga, his power was somehow becoming stronger, and he didn't seem to be weakening, even though Ranmaru and Mitsuhide had all but run him through. Suddenly, time slowed, all the opposing troops were transformed into dead bodies, Magoichi had run to the ninja girl, he had recognized her by the fact that her face had been nicked by a blade. Keiji had turned to look at Yukimura, who seemed entranced with Kunoichi, but Inahime was there, struggling to pull the bow string back, a final arrow aimed toward Yukimura's head. Nobunaga finally fell, everyone turned to see the sight, they were torn between trying to save Yukimura, and wondering if it would cause the arrow to hit its target. Kunoichi turned to see Inahime, then fearfully looking at Yukimura, who still looked at her, passion in his eyes. Magoichi, decided to take action, firing one last shot, his last bullet, and its mark was where the bow met the arrow. A bead of sweat fell from his forehead, and he took the shot, time froze at that very instant, everyone was watching at the single bullet slowly inched toward Inahime, her right hand directing the arrow, her left arm quivering under the stress of her previous wound.  
Time resumed, the bullet instantly shattered the bow, the arrow, and pierced through Inahime's hand. Everyone rushed toward Yukimura and Kunoichi, in order to treat her wound, Yukimura quickly carried her outside, the wound was straight across her back. Quickly he pulled out bandages, he assisted her by gently, but with great haste, lifted her shirt over her shoulders, Nobuyuki's spear had three prongs, each a few inches apart, and Yukimura moved as fast as he could, he began bandaging her up, despite his own wounds. He had finished tying the bandages when he again passed out; he himself was in need of treatment.  
  
Yukimura awoke, his body was tingling with pain, and he feared opening his eyes to a sight worse then Hell, itself. His senses came to, he felt someone lying next to him, their arm around his chest, he opened his eyes, Kunoichi, her chest wrapped in bandages, her soft skin rubbing against his wounds, caressing them, that feeling in itself was like an anesthesia, vanquishing the pain. Her hair was strewn about, her blue eyes, baby blue crystals that radiate their own light, sparkling fantastically. Her pink lips pursed as she closed the distance between them both. "Yukimura...I'm so sorry..." She said as tears nearly erupted from her beautiful eyes, her pale face, ghostly. She blamed herself for causing his injuries, Yukimura read her like a book, "Don't be sorry...I would've done the same." Yukimura kissed her over and over again, enticing her to warm up to him. Her body quaked of fear; she didn't want him to reject her later on.  
"Lord Yukimura...will you...would you...please consider marrying me?" Kunoichi asked in almost a whisper, unable to meet his gaze. Unaware of the other presences in the room, he tilted her head upward, trying to see her eyes; she tried to look away, but finally gave in. Yukimura pulled her closer, minding her injury, his warm body embraced hers. "I will marry you, I will fight for you, I will live for you, and I will die for you." He said, her eyes quivered, his face full of passion, he kissed his lovingly. Magoichi and Keiji were both covering Ranmaru's mouth, he was baffled by the lovers who had not paid any mind to their guests, slowly they inched out and downward to where Mitsuhide, Okuni, and the ninja girl who, although affectionately kissing Magoichi upon his entrance, she still refused to reveal her name. Mitsuhide was playing the part of the gentleman, Okuni was unfaithfully making various passes at him, all of which he missed.  
  
"Mitsuhide, you didn't explain how you, Ranmaru, and Nobunaga each survived the battle at Honnouji." Magoichi said, Ranmaru and Mitsuhide, although able to explain it simply, they were forced to pull out hand puppets, drawings, and such to have everyone fully aware of how they escaped.  
"Oh Lord Mitsuhide...You are such a valiant stern man to have braved the flames of Honnouji..." Okuni swooned over the sage. Keiji scratched his head, "That still doesn't explain how Nobunaga and Ranmaru survived it."  
Ranmaru drew a poor but adequate picture of two stick figures running out of Honnouji through the northeast exit on horse back. Everyone sighed as Keiji nodded in agreement of knowledge of the simple action, which Keiji made seem so difficult.  
**End of Chapter 8**  
  
_Authorial Notes: So guys, one more chapter till its all over, you're probably wondering what happened to Inahime, correct? Well let me show you through an adequate picture, Here's a poor representation of Azuchi (a triangle), and here are a lot of evil fiery flames that consume Azuchi (lots of diagonal lines that go vertically and horizontally over the triangle), any questions?  
  
Random man: I have one!  
  
(A gunshot roars, shattering the short silence, and a body is heard, being dragged off to the meat grinder, where all of the others are placed.)_


	9. Finale Part 2 Love is Love

**Samurai Warriors: Crimson Samurai Chapter 9  
Finale: Part 2 Love is Love**  
  
"Do you think that we'll always be together?" Kunoichi asked, nuzzling Yukimura's face, she lay in his lap, his arms around her, her arms clasping him. "The worst is over now, am we can breath again. There's so much left to learn and no one left to fight." She said as her cool skin touched his warm body.

"I wanted you to know, I love the way you laugh, I want to hold you." Yukimura whispered in her ear, he embraced her tightly kissing her on the cheek as she turned her head to him.  
"When I'm lonesome, when you're gone, I don't feel right...when you've gone away." She replied. Yukimura's embrace was like a glove to her body. She wanted to remain like this for all of eternity, she did not want to be robbed of his presence, even in death, she wanted to be with him.  
He promised that they would be married, that they would be together forever, he would never leave her, she would never leave him. There would be no more battles, there would be no more conflicts, there would be peace, there would be happiness for all of them. The next day they were to be married, Kunoichi had an elegant white wedding dress from the western countries, Yukimura wore his old red armor, yet it was fixed up, polished, and made to look more adequate. A boy, who was in reminiscence of a younger Yukimura was to hold his spear and give it to him after the vows and the first kiss of marriage were completed.  
  
But one soul would not let them rest, his conquest would tear their world apart, he would toss them through one last test only for his own sick suffering.  
"Yukimura, I challenge you!" Masamune said, the Botenmaru in a death grip in his own hands. Yukimura and Kunoichi were about to be wed, but the vows were interrupted by his entrance, his swords were polished, and he would not let the two be at peace.  
"What will you gain from this?" A weakened Yukimura said, Kunoichi held him back, she clasped her arms around his chest holding him to her bosom. Keiji, Okuni, Mitsuhide, Katsunaga, Hideyori, Magoichi, and the others were all stopped, Masamune had brought muskets with him, and backing him up was a giant army of the Date Clan.  
"I will gain satisfaction of knowing your defeat!" Masamune said, Yukimura was thrown his spear by a servant, Kunoichi was gently pushed from Yukimura, his body was frail, incapable now, or ever again of the horrors of which he suffered through before. Yukimura and Masamune began to duel, a disadvantage was the deciding factor, it was apparent that one or the other was the only outcome of this battle, but would Yukimura be the one left standing. He lunged for Masamune, but he did not have the strength to keep the spear straight, it was knocked from his hands, Masamune began to strike him repeatedly. Magoichi stood with his mouth open, like Keiji, both wanted to end the battle and kill Masamune, but if they moved the entire Date army would unloaded their muskets into everyone in the way, Kunoichi, Yukimura, Okuni, the ninjas, all of them would be killed.  
  
Yukimura was able to grasp his spear, his body in disrepair, his healing bones were being struck at many times, he swung his spear, slicing Masamune's chest plate, but he was all right, Masamune continued to beat on Yukimura, blood was pouring from his wounds, a stream of blood was being forced from his lips. Kunoichi went ballistic, drawing her blades, she proceeded to attack Masamune, but the Date army was now aiming for her, Keiji, Magoichi, Okuni, and the others began to fight back, another scene of violence had erupted, countless lives were being lost, unnecessary blood was being spilled. Yukimura had lost all of the passion for battle he once had, but seeing Kunoichi in danger, he knew it had to end, he could not save everyone, while Masamune was busy with Kunoichi, Yukimura came up behind him, his spear raised in the air, quickly he brought it down, forcing it through Masamune's tiny body.  
"...I'm sorry Masamune, let us meet in Hell..." the sooner Yukimura did this, an irregular gunshot cut through the battle, the battle had quickly stopped as it saw both warriors lose their lives. A lowly musketeer had taken the opportunity to avenge his lord, shooting Yukimura from behind, piercing his heart.  
  
"Yukimura!" Kunoichi cried she held his body up, he was smiling as the blood ran down his face, his wounds bled like water down a water fall.  
"...I'm sorry...Kunoichi...Let...Let us..." He was unable to finish, Kunoichi's eyes watered, she buried her head in his chest, her hair became stained with his blood. She grew sad, yet angry, she couldn't protect him, in the end she protected him, she should have been the first to die, she thought.  
"Lord...Yukimura! Please...Lord...Lord Yukimura!" She held his lifeless body within her hand, it was cold, "He'll wake up! He always has before!" She held him close to her. In an act of vengeance the attendee's of the wedding slowly pushed the intruder's out, where the Saika mercenaries made sure that there was vengeance. Kunoichi sobbed heavily, all she had done, all she had went through with Yukimura, it was taken away by a lowly soldier, he probably wasn't even a samurai, yet he took up a weapon and killed Yukimura with it.  
  
Months had passed, Kunoichi, a soon-to-be mother was weeping for the loss of her husband. Mitsuhide, Keiji, Ranmaru, Magoichi, Okuni, Katsunaga, and Hideyori all were in the dining quarters, discussing Kunoichi's future. The ninja's were all with her, trying to console her.  
"She needs to be around us, I say we all stay here and make sure she is alright." Keiji said, he was very sympathetic on the issue, he and Yukimura were great rivals, almost like three oath brothers, Magoichi, Yukimura, and Keiji were.  
"The poor miss is probably weeping her heart out." Okuni said, a look of sadness upon her face as well, she had lost another suitor.  
Magoichi looked very bitter, there was nothing that could ease his pain, Yukimura was like a part of the Saika Mercenaries to him, he was a person that deserved recognition. "I say we bury Yukimura in a place more suited to the needs of the emperor himself!" Magoichi shouted. His desire did not fall upon dead ears, but the chance that it would be crushing for Kunoichi were all but obvious.   
"We can not say that's the end of it, Kunoichi is expecting a child, he will be the ascender to the Sanada Family Line, no others could take up the task." Mitsuhide said. All of them brought up their own debate, but they were all irrelevant.

"I can't..." Kunoichi said, Naomi, the ninja that had swooned over Magoichi had advised her to be strong. "I can not bring a child into the world without Yukimura...without Yukimura this child will not become a leader...This child can not become strong enough with only a weakened sobbing mother..."  
Naomi looked at her friend in disbelief, "Miss, I can not believe I hear these things from your mouth! You don't have much of a choice in the matter!" She said, gasping when she saw Kunoichi brandish one of her daggers. "No!" She shouted as she snatched it away from Kunoichi, "Do you want to kill a child just so you can die?!" She asked with a fury in her voice. Kunoichi continued to weep bitterly, no one could comfort her, the emotional wounds she know suffered were more painful then if a sword were to disembowel her for all of eternity.

The night had arisen, a choice had been made, Kunoichi, stand upon the roof across from Yukimura's roof, "The stars will cry, the blackest tears tonight...Here I am...pouring my heart onto these rooftops...A ghost to the world...is exactly...what I am..." She was sobbing bitterly as she stood there, the group of guests were watching her, their shouting fell upon deaf ears. She inched on the ledge, "For a second I wish the tide, would swallow every inch of this continent..." She had jumped from the ledge, but this time, there was only silence.  
  
"For you...Yukimura, in the next life, do you think we'll be together, forever?"  
  
**End of Story**  
  
_Authorial Note: I'm sorry this is an abrupt ending, also sad, but do not think that I was rushing through this, because I had to thinks this out, sure it wasn't what you probably wanted as an ending, but there needed to be an end to the chaos, Yukimura, and a severed love can not last on it's own, I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but I can think of no better end for the two. Again I apologize if you disliked this. _


End file.
